Preeclampsia is a condition characterized by high blood pressure during pregnancy. The condition typically manifests around the 20th week of pregnancy and carries considerable risk to both the mother and infant. Children of women who had preeclampsia during pregnancy are more likely to develop high blood pressure in childhood or adolescence. Findings from a recent study suggest that vitamin D reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure among children of women with preeclampsia.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is stored in the liver and fatty tissues of the body. Perhaps best known for its role in maintaining skeletal health, vitamin D also plays roles in aspects of cardiovascular health, including the regulation of blood pressure.

The authors of the analysis drew on data from the Boston Birth Cohort, a large, prospective cohort study that included more than 750 mother-child pairs. They collected data regarding maternal preeclampsia, childhood and adolescent systolic blood pressures (from multiple readings), and cord blood vitamin D concentrations, as well as maternal demographics, smoking status, and pre-pregnancy body mass index, a proxy for body fatness.

They found that the children of women who had preeclampsia during pregnancy were more likely to have higher systolic blood pressure in early childhood and/or adolescence. However, higher cord blood vitamin D concentration – an indicator of higher vitamin D exposure in the womb – negated this effect.

These findings suggest that maternal vitamin D levels in women who have preeclampsia during pregnancy influence whether their children develop high blood pressure. Clinical trials investigating the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation in women with preeclampsia and long-term follow-up of their children are needed to confirm.

• Link to full study.